India Microfinance

Ujjivan organizes social development program in Rajasthan

Ujjivan has started a unique need based social development projects (SDP’s) for community advancement according to the feedback of local residents in it’s business area. As a part of this, the Ujjivan team in Rajasthan, financed and completed the installation of an iron-grill safety net over the previously dangerously uncovered and open well in ‘Kagaji ka Mohalla’ colony in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.

This 90 feet deep well has been a major source of drinking water to a majority of residents in the area and hence is an extremely important resource for not just the local area, but the entire city of Sawai Madhopur. However, the well was open at the top and was surrounded by extremely low walls on the side, there was a high risk of animals and even small children falling into it by mistake. Furthermore, if an animal falls into the well and dies, this leads to polluting of the water source and effectively shuts down the well until it is cleaned up by the local water department.

This issue was brought to the notice of the Sawai Madhopur Ujjivan branch team by residents of the community according to whom their plea has fallen on deaf ears over the last 10 years. Considering the paucity of drinking water, the staff of Ujjivan in Sawai Madhopur and their supervisors consulted the community and implemented it diligently.

After completion, this was inaugurated for public usage by Mr Kamlesh Kumar Jeliya- Chairman Nagar Palika & Ms. Kekai Devi- Ward Parishad of Sawai Madhopur. The function was also attended by senior members from the Ujjivan North region team- Mr. Vikram Jetley, COO & Naga Reddy- State Head for Rajasthan.

“At Ujjivan, we strongly believe that the benefits of growth and scale should first be passed to our customers. Post financial break-even, every year, Ujjivan apportions a part of its profit to undertake social development activities at its branches to support the welfare of local community & its customers. Through a participatory and collaborative framework, Ujjivan staff and customers discuss possible initiatives and jointly decide and undertake projects that impact the local community”, said Mr Vikram Jetley.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Vikram Jetley thanked Ujjivan for the gesture and spoke of the impact that this initiative would have on the residents of Sawai Madhopur.

“Last year, over 34,000 children from 752 institutions in 91 locations across the country were beneficiaries under the SDP program, where the focus was to improve local school facilities. Ujjivan currently serves over one million urban and semi-urban poor customers in 20 states across India through 315 branches,” informed Mr Jetley.